El Paso School Closures Proposed Amid Enrollment Decline

The El Paso Independent School District (EPISD) is considering closing 10 elementary schools as part of its 'Destination District Redesign' plan due to declining enrollment, which has dropped significantly from a peak of 65,000 students in the late 1990s to below 50,000 last year. Superintendent Diana Sayavedra has emphasized that the goal is to enhance educational quality while addressing capacity issues, as many schools are underutilized. Community meetings have been held to gather feedback, with a critical board vote scheduled for November to finalize the list of closures. Despite reassurances from EPISD leadership that no decisions have been made, local parents and activists have expressed concerns about inadequate community engagement in the process. Meanwhile, in San Francisco, Mayor London Breed has criticized the school district's superintendent over the management of potential school closures, reflecting a broader trend of community unrest regarding school consolidation decisions across various districts.